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Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has laid out a several red lines for Iran's
negotiators in recent speeches
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Iran's
supreme leader has hardened his stance on the nuclear negotiations with world
powers, with the deadline for a comprehensive agreement only days away.
In a
speech on Tuesday night, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei insisted Iran would only
dismantle its nuclear infrastructure if economic sanctions were lifted first.
He also
ruled out a freeze on research and development for 10 years, as well as
inspections of military sites.
The
demands appear to undercut a framework deal announced in April.
They could
also limit the ability of Iran's negotiating team to make key concessions as
the self-imposed 30 June deadline approaches.
As supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei has final say on all state matters
The
so-called P5+1 - the US, UK, France, China and Russia plus Germany - want Iran
to scale back its sensitive nuclear activities permanently to ensure that it
cannot build a nuclear weapon. Iran insists its nuclear work is peaceful.
'Complicated
formula'
Ayatollah Khamenei has
repeatedly backed Iran's negotiators amid criticism from hardliners and
military leaders, but he has laid out a several red lines.
In a speech broadcast on
state television on Tuesday, he ruled out halting sensitive nuclear research
and development work for the 10 years agreed under the outline plan.
"We don't accept
10-year restriction. We have told the negotiating team how many specific years
of restrictions are acceptable," he said. "Research and development
must continue during the years of restrictions."
The supreme leader also
accused the US of offering a "complicated formula" for lifting US, EU
and UN sanctions which have crippled Iran's economy.
"Lifting sanctions
can't depend on implementation of Iran's obligations," he warned.
The US has proposed a
phased withdrawal of sanctions dependent on international inspectors verifying
Iranian compliance with its pledges to convert uranium enrichment facilities,
dismantle centrifuges to enrich uranium, and reduce its stocks of enriched
uranium. Enriched uranium can be used to make fuel for both nuclear energy and
nuclear weapons.
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Iran's parliament has approved draft legislation to ban access
to military sites and nuclear scientists
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Ayatollah
Khamenei also reiterated that he rejected allowing international inspectors to
visit Iran's military sites, which Western countries suspect have been used for
nuclear weapons research, or interviewing its nuclear scientists, five of whom
have been assassinated.
"[The United
States'] goal is to uproot and destroy the country's nuclear industry," he
said. "They want to keep up the pressure and are not after a complete
lifting of sanctions."
Earlier on Tuesday,
Iran's parliament also approved draft legislation that would ban access to
military sites, documents and scientists as part of any deal with the P5+1.
However, US state
department spokesman John Kirby stressed on Tuesday that inspections of
suspicious sites would be a key part of any agreement.
"For
us, nothing's changed about what's necessary for a final deal, which includes
access and transparency that will meet our bottom lines," he told
reporters.
***
As if this
would prevent Obama to capitulate even more...
